KOZHIKODE: High drama and severe political friction marred the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Kozhikode corporation office on Saturday morning, following an unprecedented clash over protocol between ruling and opposition councillors. The disruption occurred around 9.30 am immediately following the official flag-hoisting ceremony and the Independence Day address by Mayor O Sadashivan.
Chaos ensued when a group of BJP councillors began singing the national song, Vande Mataram, at the exact moment Mayor O Sadashivan and LDF councilors launched into the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. The overlapping renditions created significant commotion among those assembled. Upon completing the second National Anthem, the mayor and deputy mayor S Jayashree exited the venue, leaving the BJP members behind to complete their full recitation of Vande Mataram.
The incident triggered intense political recriminations, with each faction accusing the other of dishonoring national symbols. BJP councillor Raneesh T defended their actions, claiming the civic leadership had been alerted in advance. “We had explicitly requested the mayor and the deputy mayor that Vande Mataram should be sung in its entirety. To bypass that request, they abruptly started singing the national anthem. Therefore, we sang Vande Mataram first and concluded the ceremony only after rendering the national anthem as well,” Raneesh said. Navya Haridas, BJP councilor, added that Vande Mataram inspired freedom fighters and accused both the LDF and absent opposition UDF leaders of taking an “anti-national stance out of fear of certain extremist elements”.
Mayor O Sadashivan firmly refuted claims of prior notice, stating that the untimely action by BJP members disrupted the solemnity of the official function. “We did not obstruct the BJP councillors from singing Vande Mataram, but such actions should have been avoided during the ceremony,” the mayor noted. Deputy mayor S Jayashree echoed these sentiments, maintaining that protocol was strictly followed by the administration. “This is not acceptable behaviour. The mayor is the administrative head of the corporation, and it was the mayor who led the national anthem. As councillors and the deputy mayor, it is our responsibility and duty to stand with that,” Jayashree added.
UDF councillors strongly condemned the BJP’s conduct. UDF councillor K C Shobitha said standard protocol dictates the national anthem immediately follow the flag hoisting.
